Re-Start: Hoenn
by f-thecat
Summary: A trio of somewhat friends: Roan, Creek, and poor Oliver, find themselves on the journey they've been waiting on their whole lives. To explore and ultimately conquer the Hoenn region. Roan and Creek can't seem to stop fighting, and Oliver can never seem to catch up! Join them on a classic journey throughout the region, but with their own bit of craziness.


_"__A town that can't be shaded by __**any **__hue."_

With nothing more than a simple look, the dark-haired teen would pass that same weathered sign on his way home, time and time again. He never understood what it meant, until now. Nothing could change the tiny town of Littleroot. During the major thunderstorms last year, almost zero to no damage was done to his hometown. When a gang of robbers came through the town (like that was a good idea), people still kept their doors unlocked at night. Nothing changed or aged, only the people did. Oliver loved the town for that quality alone, but it was the same reason he was leaving. There was a big region out there! Staying home and watching other people live their dreams was getting boring and all of his schoolmates had begun their journeys.

Why couldn't he?

So on this morning, right at the break of dawn, he was up, preparing for his adventure. His clothes were packed, his food was packaged, and his other "tokens" from home were assembled. After checking his watch and slipping the correct amounts of medication into his smaller bag, Oliver made his way down the road from his isolated house. Even though he passed the Laboratory almost every day, the boy seemed to lose his sense of direction once he was on the main road. After another few minutes, the scenery started becoming familiar to him.

Knocking slightly, Oliver set down his backpack on the porch, unsure if this was a good idea. What if his parents went into an immediate panic, called the police, sent the whole town into a "fit", and caused the world to turn upside down?! He did leave a note. Oh, well. His thoughts soon took over and he wasn't able to notice that a Lab Aide, Stanley his name,has opened the door and now trying to get the boy's attention. Oliver snapped back to reality, scratching the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry, g-got kinda distract- could I see the pokemon?" he asked, leaving his things outside the front door. It would be a long visit.

If anyone had anything to say about Roan Birch, they would tell you he was the best kid around. Being a Professor's kid came with tons of perks, but high expectations. You got to be around pokemon a lot, you got to travel sometimes, and when it was time for you to leave on your own journey, you had a wide selection of starters, opposed to most kids. Roan was his father's right-hand guy. Once he had completed his secondary education, his dad employed him to be a Lab Aide. He had no choice then, but today was the day they had agreed on.

Once he got his starter, he was officially a man. At least he thought so. Even then, the boy didn't wake up on time, so it was understandable when he raced down the stairs, his bags falling off his back and a stack of lab papers sailing to the floor. His brown hair was styled like he had just rolled out of bed, because he had, and a toothbrush was hanging on for dear life out of the corner of his mouth. "Mom! M' leavin'!", he yelled, and started for the door. Slipping on his usual running shoes, a to-do list already forming in his mind. Taking the toothbrush out and leaving it on the table by the door, Roan fixed himself briefly before taking another look at his watch.

"Oh, shoot! I forgot to take those pictures of the Poochyena I promised dad," with a sigh he continued, "Guess I can do that really quick before heading back to the lab. I'm already behind." One flick of his backpack strap later, and he was out the door in a flash.

Meanwhile, one teenaged blonde girl was already exploring Route 101, feeling like a boss and such. Her bright blue eyes watched a band of Zigzagoon pass over her feet in the tall grass. Usually she wouldn't have gone in, but she thought it would be nice to get some fresh air. She had been anxious to get her pokemon all morning, and now that it was time, Creek Peters didn't waste one single moment. Her curls bounced playfully as she took off in the direction of the Pokemon Lab in Littleroot, a slight giggle escaping from her lips.

The girl was about to start on one of the most important journeys in her life, and all seemed to be in her favor, until she turned the corner and bumped right into someone."Sonofabit-", she cursed, slipping and catching herself to fall to her knees, the other person still on their feet. Shaking it off, she got up and looked the person right in the face. Green eyes looked right back at her with the same annoyance that quickly slipped into surprise as they both began to recognize one another. "Creek? How's it going? Wow, who knew I'd be running into you! You know my dad got a new shipment of starters right? They came late last night, and I thought you would be one of the first-OUCH!". Creek was annoyed, and bored, so she decided to slap the spit right out of that goody two-shoes' mouth. It wasn't her fault that he was talking so much, with that stupid face of his.

"Just watch it next time, okay lab boy?", and when she flipped her hair, she ran past him and sped up even faster to get to the Lab. Now she was worried that she wouldn't get a good starter, and that's what she needed. Something cute, but packed a punch. Today was the day, and she wasn't going to let it slip from her grasp.

"Oh, he's a cute fellow."

Oliver was inspecting the starters, taking longer than usual. He was one of the few of the graduating class from the school to get a trainer's license. Of course there were many medical concerns, but Oliver was a strong spirit. Nothing got him down. Except for rainy days and cold pizza. His eyes had scanned over all the available pokemon, until he couldn't take his eyes off of a certain reptilian one. The Wood Gecko stood in the large chamber, interacting with the other pokemon nicely. "I wonder what's its name?", Oliver said in a low voice.

"Treecko. A good choice."

He turned to see Professor Birch approaching him, going to lean in and pick the pokemon up. It climbed easily on the professor, jumping from his arm to the top of his head, peering at Oliver shyly. Oliver's smile widened, and he cautiously reached out for the pokemon. "He likes you Oliver. He didn't even look at the other trainer's when they came in earlier. At least he's showing interest!" Professor Birch exclaimed, and the Treecko took that as his cue to jump into the air, execute a clean somersault, and land on Oliver's shoulder. Oliver was thrown off, but kept himself together, just in time too, as Creek Peters practically smashed through the front door. "Sorr- Sorry I'm late!", catching her breath, "I'm here for my pokemon!" Oliver hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks, due to his lack of getting out of the house. They weren't friends, he thought, but she was nice enough. Sometimes. Professor Birch patted him lightly on the shoulder and left him alone with the pokemon, as he went over to calm and help Creek out.

Oliver was too happy with the Treecko, the excitement running through his veins; or his medicine from this morning. Either way, he was content, and he turned to tell Professor Birch he had made his decision. The Treecko was already making himself comfortable in his head of hair. When he turned around, he saw the professor was now in the company or two trainers, one of them being his own son, Roan. Oliver suddenly felt uncomfortable, as both Roan and Creek had much more than he had. And even though they hated each other's guts, they couldn't deny they made a good team. Oliver wished he had something like that, and maybe with Treecko, he would.

He kept his head low and watched the scene, the two of them now bickering over something and the professor trying to reason with them as he waved two devices in their faces. Oliver was tapped on the shoulder, receiving his pokeballs from one of the aides, his license finally completed. He smiled brightly, nodding to the Treecko as his starter pokemon. Once they got it settled, the boy could finally start his journey! He put away his pokeballs, thinking it would be nice to keep Treecko out of his ball for a while.

Oliver wasn't good at most things, but something he was good at?

Slipping by, unnoticed by the others in the room. The aides had gone out back, and the two trainers were now closer to where he had stood before, picking out their own respective pokemon. It seemed as though Creek had decided on a blue fish-like pokemon, while Roan had jumped at the chick pokemon. Oliver knew a little about type advantage from the little television he watched, and something told him then not to ever challenge Roan. Or even Creek for that matter. That girl gave him the willies sometimes.

He was almost out of the front door, when Professor Birch appeared out of nowhere and was thrusting a device toward the boy. Oliver jumped back slightly, "Wha-what's that?". "A Pokedex, silly! You can't leave without one. I think that you're a special boy, Oliver. I want you to have this, and I hope you meet all kinds of pokemon. It'll help you keep track of all the pokemon you meet." the larger man smiled, patting him lightly on the shoulder. "Well I see you're in a hurry, so I won't stand in your way." Before Oliver could object, he was given the pokedex and led out the door.

"Don't be afraid to give me a call! Good luck kid!".

"But what about-", was all he could get out before the door was shut in his face. Oliver sighed, fitting the pokedex in his back pocket. Maybe he could find out exactly what it did later. Right now, he had to go ahead and leave. He wanted to be far away before dark. So with a final look at the Lab, and the Treecko on his shoulder now dropping down to the ground to confidently lead Oliver to Route 101, the boy was beginning his journey.

Back at the Lab, Roan sighed exasperatedly at yet another delay in the start of his journey. For some odd reason, his dad thought it would be a great idea to send him on one last errand, but this time it was in Petalburg City. Creek volunteered to tag along, since it was her "dad's city", and she would be able to help out with getting the package to him personally. Roan had rolled his eyes at the girl, but was at least happy to know that once they got to Petalburg to complete this errand, they could go their separate ways.

The two of them were walking out of the Lab, each with a fresh batch of pokeballs on their belts, one starter each. Roan was trying ignore her, but the girl beside him just couldn't stop talking. "-So that's why Mudkip's better than any chicken, any day. " Roan decided that if he kept quiet, maybe this nightmare wouldn't last long. "And don't even think about trying to battle me! I'd hate to embarrass a kid like you," she laughed, tightening the strap on her tote as they started down the road out of the city, the route sign in sight.

Right before they reached the 'entrance' to the route, Creek stepped in front of Roan, a little agitated. "Are you even listening to me? Hellloooo?", Creek asked him, waving her hands in front of his face and snapping impatiently. "What?", he asked, stopping in his tracks. "Listen, your dad isn't paying me to babysit you so you need to-", "He isn't paying you anything! And you are tagging along with me! Once we get to Petalburg, we can go our opposite ways, and you won't be seeing me again until I'm the Hoenn Pokemon Champion or Top Coordinator or a Pokemon Ranger or whatever I decide to do with my life. Got it? Geez, girls are so stupid sometimes." Roan told her, shoving past her to get to the first bit of tall grass. Creek was caught a little off-guard by his response, but regained her composure in no time and turned around to yell after him. "Hey! What did you say about girls?"

...

"Get your little pansy ass back over here!"


End file.
